A study of atomic and molecular energy transfer channels in Kr-Xe gas mixtures excited with radio frequency discharges

Simultaneous observations of the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and visible-near-IR emission from radio frequency discharges in gaseous Kr with small (<0.1%) Xe admixture concentrations were conducted in the pressure range 80-400 hPa. The spectra were used for investigation of energy transfer from the lowest excited states of both atomic krypton and krypton molecules to the ground state xenon atoms. The VUV emission spectra allowed us to obtain a value of 3.9×10⁷×P_Xe hPa^-1 s^-1 for the energy transfer rate from the 1_u state of Kr₂* molecules and a rate of 1.7×10⁶×P_Xe hPa^-1 s^-1 for the energy transfer rate from the system of the four lowest Kr excited states to Xe ground state atoms. A value of 1.6×10⁶×P_Xe hPa^-1 s^-1 was independently obtained for this atom-to-atom energy transfer channel based on our observations of IR emission.